Renowned author J.D. Vance revealed a fascinating tidbit about his name in his book Hillbilly Elegy – his mother, Beverly Vance, detested the name Donald so much that she changed his middle name from Bowman to David! This revelation sheds light on the intriguing backstory behind Vance’s name.
It’s interesting to note that Beverly was in attendance when her son delivered his acceptance speech to be former President Donald Trump’s running mate. Considering her aversion to the name Donald, it’s clear she had her reasons, as Donald Bowman was Vance’s biological father.
After Beverly married Bob Hamel, she decided to officially change her son’s name to James David Hamel, erasing any traces of Donald from his identity. Vance humorously reflects on how his mother attributed the name change to honoring Uncle David, but he was skeptical, especially at a young age.
Despite Beverly later divorcing Bob Hamel, this event influenced Vance to change his name once again, feeling like his legal father was a stranger. When Vance tied the knot with his wife Usha, they both chose to adopt Vance as their last name, honoring Beverly’s maiden name.
In a quirky turn of events, even President Trump struggled with Vance’s name, mistaking him for his primary challenger Josh Mandel during a rally. Regardless of the confusion, Vance’s name change journey adds a unique layer to his already intriguing life story.
